Settlers, pioneers, miners, railroad workers - all lay claim to the vibrant history of the Kootenay Rockies, as is evident in the region's more than twenty-five fanastic museums.
The Revelstoke Railway Museum pays tribute to the railway workers that built the most treacherous section of Canada's first transcontinental railway, while the Trains Deluxe - Canadian Museum of Rail Travel, Cranbrook, relives the glory days of rail travel.
Learn about the pioneering practices, arts and crafts, distinctive customs, and unique religion of the Doukhobors at their namesake museum. Experience the living history of Rossland through a tour of the legendary Le Roi Gold Mine.
One of the most significant preserved steam-passenger vessels in North America, the S.S. Moyie was the last operating passenger sternwheeler in Canada. Additional museums in the area include Touchstones Nelson, Creston Museum, Golden Museum, and Revelstoke Nickelodeon Museum.
Learn More About Museums in the Kootenay Rockies
Revelstoke Railway Museum
Trains Deluxe - Canadian Museum of Rail Travel
Doukhobor Discovery Centre
Rossland Museum & Le Roi Mine
S.S. Moyie
Touchstones Nelson
The Revelstoke Railway Museum allows visitors to learn about the rich history of the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR), from its initial construction to present day operation. The Museum houses both the beautifully restored CPR locomotive #5468 - one of the larger steam engines ever used on CPR lines - and the New Diesel Locomotive Simulator. Local railway engineers volunteer their time at the Museum, sharing their railway experiences. A gift shop and bookstore are also located onsite.
Featuring complete train sets from various eras of rail travel, including the prestigious million-dollar 1929 "Trans Canada Limited," the Canadian Museum of Rail Travel is nationally prized. Visitors can explore the romantic history of Canadian passenger railroading in the Museum's 28 luxurious rail cars - adored with stain glass, exotic inlaid woods, and brass fixtures - and in the Royal Alexandra Hall - the original Grand Cafe from the 1906 CPR Royal Alexandra Hotel of Winnipeg.
In 1908, the Doukhobors - a group of Russian pacifists escaping persecution - settled in Castlegar. The Doukhobor Discovery Centre recreates a traditional communal village of this settlement, and features more than 1,000 artifacts, from household furniture and handspun clothing, to farm machinery and tools. This artifact collection is enhanced by an audio visual gallery, featuring a photograph archive and informational films.
Gold rush fever returns at Rossland Museum & LeRoi Mine. First discovered by two prospectors in the late-1800s, the LeRoi Mine initiated Rossland's gold rush, and produced approximately 30-million dollars in gold, more than all the creeks and rivers of British Columbia combined. Guided tours of the Mine are available, and even a chance to pan for gold.
The last operating passenger sternwheeler in Canada, S.S. Moyie is dry docked in Kaslo. It is one of the most significant preserved steam passenger vessels in North America. Take a self-guided tour to view the ship's dining saloon and pilot house. Mechanical buffs love the engine room: the pumps, dynamo and engines are shining examples of the 19th-century steam technology.
Touchstones Nelson Museum of Art & History celebrates Nelson's exuberant creative energy and vibrant history. Located in the heart of historic downtown Nelson, Touchstones is a state-of-the-art facility, featuring audio/visual theatres and interactive displays that guide visitors through the community's First Nations, early European exploration, and natural resource history. Two temporary galleries are dedicated to continually changing exhibitions of local and regional art, craft, and design.
Planning a Museum Visit
Make sure to check the hours of operation for your museum destination. Several Kootenay Rockies museums vary their hours according to the season.